We all know we’re supposed to be thankful for the big stuff at this time of year—friends, family, your education, your job, food, good health. That stuff is no secret, and you’ll find plenty of memes and posts across the internet to remind you to be thankful for all that. But this Thanksgiving, don’t just think of the big things you’re grateful for. Think of the little things too; the things that make life worth living for high school and college students.
1. The friend who pays for Spotify
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Nothing's worse than having to listen to ads every other song when you’re hanging out with friends. Nothing, that is, except paying $10 a month for the privilege of not having those ads. Be thankful for your friend group’s DJ this season, especially if they let you choose the music.
Related: Top 5 Ambience Playlists to Soundtrack Your Studies
2. Netflix and other streaming services
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Netflix and the plethora of other streaming services we all use gives us not only incredible original shows and movies but also our old favorites. You can rewatch them whenever with no commercials and no waiting a week for the next episode. It’s a no brainer to be appreciative of these entertainment services.
3. Late-night delivery services
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Is it even really a Saturday if you don’t order food at midnight? Remember to be thankful for not just the pizza and snacks but the delivery person and those who made the food for you as well. They are true heroes because they keep you from having to go out in the cold or (worse) make it yourself.
4. Chocolate
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Is there anything as universally perfect as chocolate? Is it not the perfect pick-me-up snack for a down day? Remember to be thankful for chocolate, especially when it’s in pie or cake form on the Thanksgiving dessert table.
5. When the library has your textbooks
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Or finding a PDF online. Or your roommate sharing their textbook with you. Or when the professor just copies the chapters you need and gives them to you as handouts. Or when you just never bought the book and still haven’t used it in class. Essentially, just be thankful for all the ways you’ve saved money on textbooks this semester.
6. The snooze button
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Life hack: If you set your alarm(s) early, you can hit the snooze button guilt-free for your extra five minutes. But who doesn’t love the challenge of hitting snooze one too many times and trying to see if you can still get to class on time?
7. Coffee
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Coffee is most students' lifeline during finals, midterms, all-nighters, and sometimes just life in general. Without coffee, high school and college students wouldn’t survive a week. (Really, no one would survive a week.)
8. Having friends in your class
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Having a friend in your class means you always have someone to do homework with, commiserate with, and gossip with—and someone to pass notes to (just don't get caught). All very important things.
9. Puppies
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Nothing gets you out of a study slump or a bad mood quite like a good dog video. They’re cute, funny, and wholesome, and we dare you to go looking for puppy content and try not to smile. Seriously—what did we do to deserve dogs?
10. Long weekends
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Who doesn’t love a long weekend? Extra time to do homework (read: sleep), hang out with friends, and just relax in general. The especially good ones last more than three days, like the one for Thanksgiving!
Related: 5 Fun Ways to Get Ready for the Holidays as a College Student
We hope this list reminded you of a few simple things to be thankful for. But don’t just stop here! Whenever you’re having a hard day, try writing a list of small things that make you happy—the stuff you really appreciate in life. It’s amazing what putting a positive perspective on things can do to boost your mood. And with the holidays coming up, there’s no reason you should be down. Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Enjoy your turkey!
Looking for other good reads so you can have the best holiday season ever? Find advice for studying and volunteering over break, dealing with your family, having fun while you’re home, and much more by exploring the "holidays" tag.
